Vocabulary
for the
College Bound
Book B
Copyright © 1987. All rights reserved. No portion
may be reproduced without permission in writing
from the publisher. Revised March, 2002
P. O. Box 658
Clayton, DE 19938
1.800.932.4593
www.prestwickhouse.com
ISBN 978-1-58049-261-4
1
Strategies for Completing Activities
Analogies
While analogies can be a bit confusing when first seen, they can be viewed as challenging mind
games once the logic of the question is understood. Here is the strategy we recommend.
1. Change the symbols into words.
Pistol : Weapon :: Rose :
A pistol is to a weapon as a rose is to a _______________
2. Determine the relationship in the first set and put it in a sentence.
A pistol is one kind of a weapon.
3. Complete the second part.
A pistol is one kind of a weapon; therefore, a rose is one kind of flower.
Analogies can be of many different types, but the most common types are the following:
synonyms
calm : peaceful :: anger : ire
opposites
praise : criticize :: hovel : mansion
degree
warm : hot :: grin : laugh
person : object
engineer : train :: pilot : airplane
function
car : garage :: airplane : hangar
order
dusk : night :: dawn : day
action : object
hoe : garden :: bake : cake
part : whole
leg : body :: stanza : poem
While it is not important that you verbalize the type of analogy you are working on, you may,
if you get stuck on one, want to consider the type in order to determine the relationship between
the words.
Roots, Prefixes, and Suffixes
To the person interested in words, a knowledge of roots, prefixes, and suffixes turns each new,
unfamiliar word into a puzzle. And while it is a sure and lifelong way to build your vocabulary,
there are two points to keep in mind.
1. Some words have evolved through usage so that today’s definitions are different from what you
might have inferred from an examination of their roots and/or prefixes. For example, the word
abstruse contains the prefix “ab” (away) and the root “trudere” (to thrust) and literally means
“to thrust away,” but today the word is used to describe something that is hard to understand.
2
2. Occasionally, you may go wrong on a root. For example, knowing that the root “vin” means
to conquer, you would be correct in concluding that the word invincible means not able to be
conquered; but if you tried to apply that root meaning to the word vindictive or vindicate, you
would miss the mark. So, in analyzing an unfamiliar word, check for other possible roots than
the one you first assumed if your inferred meaning doesn’t fit the context.
These warnings notwithstanding, a knowledge of roots and prefixes is one of the best ways to
build a strong, vital vocabulary.
Reading Comprehension
Reading questions generally fall into several types.
1. Identifying the main idea or the author’s purpose. In short, the question asks, “What is this
selection about?”
In some paragraphs, this is easy to spot because there are one or two ideas that leap from the
paragraph. In some selections, however, this may be much more difficult, especially if there are
convoluted sentences with clauses embedded within clauses. It also may be difficult in those selections in which there are inverted sentences ( the subject at the end of the sentence) or elliptical
sentences (a sentence in which a word or words are left out). All of these obstacles, however, can
be overcome if readers take one sentence at a time and recast it in their own words. Consider the
following sentence:
These writers either jot down their thoughts bit by bit, in short, ambiguous, and
paradoxical sentences, which apparently mean much more than they say—of this
kind of writing Schelling’s treatises on natural philosophy are a splendid instance;
or else they hold forth with a deluge of words and the most intolerable diffusiveness,
as though no end of fuss were necessary to make the reader understand the deep
meaning of their sentences, whereas it is some quite simple if not actually trivial
idea, examples of which may be found in plenty in the popular works of Fichte, and
the philosophical manuals of a hundred other miserable dunces.
But if we edit out some of the words, the main point of this sentence is obvious.
These writers either jot down their thoughts bit by bit, in short
sentences, which apparently mean much more than they say,
or else they hold forth with a deluge of words
as though [it]
were necessary to make the reader understand the deep meaning of their sentences, whereas it is [a] simple if not actually trivial idea.
3
While the previous sentence needed only deletions to make it clear, this next one requires major
recasting and additions; that is, it must be read carefully and put into the reader’s own words.
Some in their discourse desire rather commendation of wit, in being able to hold
all arguments, than of judgment, in discerning what is true; as if it were a praise to
know what might be said, and not what should be thought.
After studying it, a reader might recast the sentence as follows:
In their conversations, some people would rather win praise for their wit or
style of saying something rather than win praise for their ability to judge between
what is true or false­—as if it were better to sound good regardless of the quality of
thought.
2. Identifying the stated or inferred meaning. Simply, what is the author stating or suggesting?
3. Identifying the tone or mood of the selection or the author’s feeling.
To answer this type of question, look closely at individual words and their connotations. For
example, if an author describes one person as stubborn and another as firm, it tells you something
of the author’s feelings. In the same manner, if the author uses many words with harsh, negative
connotations, he is conveying one mood; but if he uses words with milder, negative connotations,
he may be striving for quite another.
4
Lesson One
1. abate (ç b¡t´) verb to lessen in violence or intensity
When the winds abated, the helicopter was able to land.
syn: subside, decrease ant: intensify, increase
2. abet (ç b¢t´) verb to assist or encourage, especially in wrongdoing
For hiding the thief in his basement, he was charged with aiding and abetting a criminal.
syn: encourage, promote, incite ant: impede, dissuade, deter
3. abhor (™b hôr´) verb to detest, loathe, hate strongly
The father warned his children to abhor lying.
syn: despise, abominate ant: love, esteem
4. acquit (ç kw§t´) verb to find not guilty of a fault or crime
The jury acquitted the man, and he was free to go.
syn: vindicate, absolve, exonerate ant: convict, incriminate, condemn
5. acrimony (™´ krç m¶´ n£) noun harsh temper or bitter feeling
Because of his acrimony, the old man found himself lonely and friendless.
syn: resentment, rancor, unkindness
ant: amiability, tenderness, kindness
6. adamant (™d´ ç m™nt´) adj. unyielding; firm in opinion
Despite the protests of the entire city council, the mayor remained adamant.
syn: stubborn
ant: amenable, flexible
7. adulation (™j´ ¶¶ l¡´ shçn) noun excessive praise or admiration
She despised the adulation heaped on rock stars by young fans.
syn: flattery, adoration
ant: derision, mockery
8. affable (™f´ ç bel) adj. friendly; courteous; agreeable in manner; easy to talk to
The affable old man never wanted for visitors.
syn: amiable, good-natured
ant: disagreeable, irritable, bad-tempered
9. agnostic (™g n•s´ t§k) noun one who believes that the existence of God is unknown and
unknowable
Although he would not say there was no God, he did not attend church because he was an
agnostic.
syn: skeptic; one with a critical or doubting attitude ant: believer
10. agrarian (ç grâr´ £ çn) adj. having to do with farms, farmers, or the use of land
Because New Jersey is mostly v, it is called “The Garden State.”
syn: agricultural; rural; pastoral
ant: urban
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EXERCISE I — Words in Context
From the list of words below, supply the words needed to complete the sentences.
acquitted
abetting
abhorred
affable
acrimony
abate
A. Having been betrayed by a friend in his youth, the hermit __________ mankind and kept mostly
to himself. One dark night, after a storm which had raged for hours began to __________,
he was surprised by a knock on his door. It was a man who had just escaped from a nearby
prison. The lonely old man fed and clothed the stranger and gave him a place to sleep. The
next morning, however, he was awakened by the police who arrested him for __________ an
escaped convict. Had the old man not acted typically unpleasant at his trial, he probably would
have been __________. His acrimonious comments, however, had antagonized everyone in
the courtroom; consequently, he was convicted.
From the list of words below, supply the words needed to complete the sentences.
affable
acrimony
agnostic
agrarian
adulation
adamant
B. The mayor and the city council had debated for weeks on the rezoning issue. The councilmen
were in favor of urbanizing, but the mayor insisted on maintaining the __________ nature
of the county. Despite the well-planned arguments of the councilmen, the mayor remained
__________ and refused to change his vote.
C.
The school board meetings began pleasantly enough with the spectators exchanging __________
greetings with one another. However, once the issue of school prayer was raised, affability
changed to __________. Mr. Johnson, a self-professed __________, who once had received
a great deal of __________ in the community for his work with troubled children, was the
object of many attacks.
EXERCISE II — Roots, Prefixes, and Suffixes
Study the entries, and answer the questions that follow.
The prefix mal means “bad; evil.”
The root bene means “good.”
The root dict means “to speak.”
A. Without using a dictionary, try to define the following words.
l. malevolent
2. malediction
3. malefactor
4. benevolent
5. benediction
6. benefactor
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B. After a biopsy, tumors are generally labeled __________ or __________ .
C.
List as many other related words as you can that begin with either mal or bene.
EXERCISE III – Analogies
Complete the analogy by choosing the most appropriate words.
1.
abhor : hate :: 3.
A. abate : assist
B. abate : lessen
C. abate : intensify
D. abate : late
rural : agrarian ::
A. farm : farmer
B. taxi : driver
C. urban : industrial
D. country : city
2.
abhor : esteem ::
4.
A. affable : urban
B. affable : pliable
C. affable : ease
D. affable : unfriendly review : movie ::
A. star : show
B. critique : book
C. stand : parade
D. crowd : party
t
EXERCISE IV — Reading Comprehension
Read the selection and answer the questions.
Let us suppose, therefore, that the government is entirely at one with the people and never
thinks of exerting any power of coercion unless in agreement with what it conceives to be
their voice. But I deny the right of the people to exercise such coercion, either by themselves
or by their government. The power itself is illegitimate; the best government has no more title
to it than the worst. It is noxious, or more noxious, when exerted in accordance with public
opinion, than when in opposition to it. If all mankind, minus one, were of one opinion and
only one person were of the contrary opinion, mankind would be no more justified in silencing that one person, than he, if he had the power, would be justified in silencing mankind.
from: On Liberty
l.
The writer of this selection is primarily concerned about
A. a government of the people.
B. the abuse of power.
C. justice for all.
D. censorship.
E. men and nations.
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by: John Stuart Mill
2. The word “noxious” in the fifth sentence means
A. helpful.
B. harmful.
C. silly.
D. important.
E. peaceful.
3. The author states or implies that if the majority of people agree on one point
A. then the minority who disagree should keep silent.
B. that in no way gives the majority the right to silence the minority.
C. that is how democracy works.
D. that is bad for the entire country.
E. that a few people should not be allowed to disrupt things for everyone else.
4. The author contends or implies that
A. when the government is entirely at one with the people, only then can it exert coercion.
B. only the best of governments, i.e., the most democratic, has the right to control the
speech of its citizens.
C. no government has the right, under any circumstances, to control the speech of its
citizens.
D. if only one or a few voices disagree they may be silenced.
E. if the government and public opinion agree, only then can disagreements be silenced.
8
Lesson Two
l. altercation (ôl´ tçr k¡´ shçn) noun a heated argument
As a result of the mounting tension, an altercation between the police and the residents broke out.
syn: controversy, quarrel, contention ant: amity, harmony, agreement
2. ambivalent (™m b§v´ ç lçnt) adj. being uncertain; unable to decide between two opposing points
of view
He felt ambivalent about his job; although he hated the pressure, he loved the challenge.
syn: indecisive
ant: opinionated, decisive
3. amicable (™m´ § kç bçl) adj. friendly; peaceable
After years of arguing, the two sides put down their weapons and came to an amicable agreement.
syn: agreeable; amiable ant: quarrelsome; warlike
4. anathema (ç n™th´ ç mç) noun a greatly disliked, hated person or thing; a curse, or a person
cursed
Because they saw him as a traitor, his presence in town was an anathema to the townspeople.
syn: abomination; abhorrence ant: blessing
5. apathy (™p´ ç th£) noun lack of interest
Because of the apathy of its citizens, the town went from bad to worse.
syn: lethargy; unconcern; indifference ant: interest; zeal; fervor
6. appease (ç p£z´) verb to make calm or quiet; to give in to the demands of
The small snack before dinner did nothing to appease his appetite.
syn: pacify, placate, allay ant: enrage, aggravate, defy
7. arduous ( är´ j¶¶ çs) adj. difficult; requiring much effort; strenuous
Refinishing the old bookcase proved to be an arduous task, though the finished product was well
worth it.
syn: strenuous, laborious ant: facile, easy, simple
8. audacity (ô d™s´ § t£) noun insolence; rude boldness
The student’s audacity in talking back to the teacher earned him a detention.
syn: effrontery, presumption, impudence ant: decorum, propriety, timidness
9. augment ( ôg m¢nt´ ) verb to enlarge; to increase in amount or intensity
I had to take a second job to augment my income.
syn: expand, enhance, increase ant: abate, shrivel, reduce
10. austere (ô stir´) adj. stern, severe, plain
The sober, old judge was as austere in his manner as he was in his lifestyle and dress.
syn: abstemious, rigorous, ascetic ant: luxurious, affable, indulgent
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EXERCISE I — Words in Context
From the list of words below, supply the words needed to complete the sentences.
anathema
amicableambivalent
augment
altercation appease
A. The two friends shared similar interests and for a long time had enjoyed an __________ relationship. One time, however, the younger friend suggested a trip to the mountains; but the
older friend hesitated. He felt __________ because he wanted to go to the mountains, but he
also wanted to go to the beach. The disagreement that followed resulted in a bitter __________.
Now the younger friend regards the older as an __________ and will not even speak when
they meet on the street.
From the list of words below, supply the words needed to complete the sentences.
apathyaudacity
austere
augmentarduous
appease
B. The New England Puritans led a very __________ lifestyle. The hard, rocky soil made farming a most __________ task. Because their supply of stored goods sometimes ran very low,
they depended on a good harvest to __________ their food supply.
C.
Tom was a timid boy; but when one of his teachers mistook his quiet reserve for __________
and ordered Tom to pay attention, his forthright response to her bordered on __________. It
took the principal some time to _________ both angry parties.
EXERCISE II — Roots, Prefixes, and Suffixes
Study the entries, and answer the questions that follow.
The root anthro means “man.”
The suffix ology means “study of.”
The root theo means “god,” “religion.”
A. Without using a dictionary, try to define the following words.
1. anthropology
4. anthropomorphic
2. theology
5. atheism
3. anthropoid
6. theocracy
B. What is sociology the study of?
C. List as many words as you can think of that begin with either anthro or theo or end in ology.
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EXERCISE III — Analogies
Complete the analogy by choosing the most appropriate words.
1.
altercation : battle :: 3.
A. warm : hot
B. change : progress
C. enemy : ally
D. soldier : army
traitor : anathema ::
A. country : enemy
B. spy : agent
C. give : sell
D. hero : adulation
2.
ambivalent : indecisive ::
4.
A. hasty : new
B. adamant : stubborn
C. clear : murky
D. politician : lawyer
apathy : disinterest ::
A. greater : lesser
B. adamant : firm
C. moon : star
D. incisive : decisive
EXERCISE IV — Reading Comprehension
Read the selection and answer the questions.
Life has never been a May-game for men: throughout time the lot of the dumb millions born
to toil has been defaced with suffering, injustices, and heavy burdens; not play at all, but hard
work has made the sinews and the heart sore. As slaves, and even as dukes and kings, men
have often been made weary of their life. They said, behold, it is not sport. Life is a grim
business and our backs can bear no more. And yet, I venture to believe that in no time since
the beginning of society has the lot of millions been as unbearable as it is today. It is not to
die, or even to die of hunger, that makes a man wretched; all men must die. But it is to live
miserable and not know why; to work hard and yet gain nothing; to be heart-worn, weary yet
isolated; to die slowly all our life long, imprisoned in a dead, dead, infinite injustice; this is
what is intolerable and causes revolutions.
1. from: Past and Present
The phrase “dumb millions” refers to the
A. not very bright people in the country.
B. people who can neither speak nor hear.
C. poor people in the country.
D. people who do not share Carlye’s opinion of the government.
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by: Thomas Carlyle
2. The author contends that the men of his time are miserable because
A. they are starving to death.
B. they know they are going to die young.
C. they are suffering many injustices.
D. they have no one to love.
E. they have lost their faith in God.
3. The author implies that the situation may result in
A. millions of people starving to death.
B. people rising in revolt.
C. a dictator taking over the country.
D. a complete breakdown of authority.
E. All of the above.
4.
The author states that life for the working man
A. has constantly been improving.
B. is much worse now than it has been in the past.
C. is pretty much the same.
D. is improved through hard work.
E. is improved through prayer and good works.
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Lesson Three
1.
avarice (™v´ ç r§s) noun excessive greed; desire for wealth
He became a doctor not to save lives but to appease his avarice.
syn: greed
ant: liberality; generosity
2.
avid (™v´ §d) adj. eager; extremely interested
He was such an avid moviegoer that the theater gave him a half-priced, lifetime pass.
syn: voracious; keen
ant: apathetic
3.
bacchanalian (b™k´ ç´ n¡l´ yçn) adj. wild with drunkenness
The student flunked out of college because of the bacchanalian life he had lived.
4.
balk (bôk) verb to stop short and refuse to continue; to obstruct
Although he desperately needed the money, he balked at the idea of working for less than
minimum wage.
syn: hesitate; frustrate; block
ant: facilitate; abet
5.
banter (b™n´ tçr) noun teasing; good-natured joking
As she sat at the table, Ruth enjoyed listening to the banter of her husband and his old college
roommate.
6.
barrister (b™r´ § stçr) noun lawyer
In England, a lawyer or attorney who argues cases in court is called a barrister.
7.
bask (b™sk) verb to lie in or be exposed to warmth
While in Florida on vacation, all she did was bask in the sun.
8. bastion (b™s´ chçn) noun a strong defense; a fort
During critical times in the history of the world, the United States has been called the bastion
of democracy.
9. bawdy (bô´ d£) adj. indecent; humorously obscene
Because some people called it a bawdy show, the car manufacturer withdrew as a sponsor for
the program.
syn: risqué
10. befuddle (b§ fºd´ l) verb to confuse; to perplex
Did he try to befuddle you with his fast talk?
syn: bewilder; fluster ant: clarify
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EXERCISE I — Words in Context
From the list of words below, supply the word needed to complete the sentence.
balk
bacchanalian
bask
avid
avarice
banter
A. Although he had a good salary, he was driven to steal the money because of naked __________.
In prison, although he initially enjoyed the __________ of the other inmates, he soon became
bored with the stories of their former __________ lifestyles. Thus, while in prison, he became
a(n) __________ reader.
From the list of words below, supply the word needed to complete the sentence.
balk
bawdy
bask
befuddled
bastion
barrister
B. By winning this particularly tough case which dealt with British maritime law, the __________
hoped to be able to __________ in the praises of his fellow lawyers.
C.
When the show originally opened thirty years ago, the __________ language offended many
people. Today most people walk away from the show __________ by the controversy that
once surrounded it.
D.
The judge expected not only that the reporter would __________ at divulging his news sources,
but also that the reporter would repeat his speech about America being a__________ of free
speech.
EXERCISE II – Roots, Prefixes, and Suffixes
Study the entries, and answer the questions that follow.
The root aud means “hear.” The root vis, vid means “see.” The root cis, cide means “cut,” “kill.”
The suffix ible, able means “able.”
A. Without using a dictionary, write a definition for each of the following words.
l. audible
2. visionary
3. herbicide
4. vista
5. auditory
6. incision
B. In the word “suicide” the root sui probably means __________ .
C. List as many words as you can that have the roots aud and vid in them.
D. An “incisive comment” is one that is figuratively________________________________.
E. List as many words as you can that end in cide.
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EXERCISE III — Analogies
Complete the analogy by choosing the most appropriate words.
1.
befuddle : clarify ::
3.
A. clean : neat
B. complex : confuse
C. night : day
D. audience : show
insecticide : insects ::
A. suicide : humans
B. herbicide : weeds
C. colorize : color
D. birds : bugs
2.
bask : sand ::
4.
A. agree : concur
B. swim : ocean
C. see : torch
D. warm : pleasant
leg : tripod ::
A. words : book
B. stand : dictionary
C. act : play
D. furniture : store
EXERCISE IV — Reading Comprehension
Read the selection and answer the questions.
A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds that is adored by little statesmen, philosophers and divines. With consistency, a great soul has simply nothing to do. He may as well
concern himself with his shadow on the wall. Speak what you think now in hard words and
tomorrow speak what tomorrow thinks in hard words again, though it contradict every thing
you said today. You are sure to be misunderstood, but is it so bad then to be misunderstood?
Pythagoras was misunderstood, and Socrates, and Jesus, and Luther, and Copernicus, and
Galileo, and Newton, and every pure and wise spirit that ever took flesh.
from: Self-Reliance by: Ralph Waldo Emerson
1. The first sentence suggests that
A. consistency is to be valued.
B. consistency is not always necessary.
C. that only people with small minds value foolish consistency.
D. Both B and C.
E. All of the above.
2. The author suggests if a man is inconsistent in his statements
A. people will have little faith in him.
B. people may misunderstand him.
C. he will become great.
D. he will understand the great philosophers.
E. he will never be able to understand the great philosophers.
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3. The author states or implies that
A. we will be both happier and wiser if we think through our feelings.
B. each day brings us new thoughts, and the thoughts we have today may contradict thoughts
of yesterday.
C. some of the great minds of the past believed in spiritual values.
D. “like shadows on the wall” we never see reality directly.
E. most statesmen, philosophers, and divines do value inconsistency.
4. The author’s main point in this selection is that
A. greatness is often misunderstood.
B. speaking the truth can be dangerous.
C. consistency is necessary for logical thinking.
D. consistency is much admired by little minds.
E. we should speak the truth as we see it even at the risk of being inconsistent.
16
Lesson Four
1. bigot (b§g´ çt) noun one who is intolerant of another’s beliefs, opinions, or values
The bigot is the worst enemy of democracy and free speech.
syn: intolerant, prejudiced, narrow-minded ant: tolerant, liberal, open-minded
2. cajole (kç j¶l´) verb to persuade with false promises and flattery
Despite his best efforts, the mayor could not cajole Colonel Harris into donating the land to
the city.
syn: coax, wheedle, talk into
ant: dissuade, deter
3. candid (k™n´ d§d) adj. 1. outspoken, blunt 2. informal, unposed
1. He gave a candid speech about the time he had spent in prison.
2. The photographer was best at candid shots of famous people.
syn: straightforward, truthful, sincere ant: evasive, equivocal
4. 5. canine (k¡´ n∞n´) adj. having to do with dogs; noun a dog
Many police departments have canine units with dogs trained to sniff out drugs and bombs.
capricious (kç´pr§sh´ çs) adj. guided by whim rather than reason; changing one’s mind
suddenly
After planning his camping trip to the mountains for months, he made a capricious decision
to go to the seashore.
syn: fickle, erratic, inconstant ant: steadfast, undeviating
6. castigate (k™s´ t§ g¡t) verb to criticize or punish for the purpose of correction
The parson castigated the young boy for sleeping in church.
syn: chastise, discipline, reprimand ant: commend, laud, praise
7. caustic (kô´ st§k) adj. biting, burning, severe; sharp or sarcastic
Because of his caustic comments, his wife finally left him.
syn: tart, corrosive, harsh ant: mild, saccharine, gentle, easy-going
8. chaos (k¡´ •s) noun complete disorder
The new teacher was given the job of ending the chaos and restoring order in the classroom.
syn: confusion, shambles ant: order, harmony
9. charlatan (shär´ lç ten) noun one who pretends to have more knowledge or skill than he
or she really has, especially in the field of medicine.
Many of the supposed medical men of the Old West with their miracle drugs were really no
more than charlatans.
syn: quack, impostor, fraud, fake
10. chastise (ch™s t∞z´) verb to punish severely
In the Middle Ages people would chastise themselves for their sins by dressing in sackcloth
and ashes and whipping themselves.
syn: punish, reprove, discipline ant: reward, comfort
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EXERCISE I — Words in Context
From the list below, supply the words needed to complete the sentences.
caustic
charlatan
bigot
candid
cajole
castigate
A. The fortune teller knew that they would eventually find her out to be a __________ as the
people in her town became more sophisticated. This fear caused her to turn bitter towards
her neighbors, and she started making __________ comments to her customers. One such
customer, an undercover policeman, __________ her for her rude behavior. He also warned
her that she needed to be much more __________ in her comments to her customers or she
could be charged with fraud.
From the list of words below, supply the words needed to complete the sentences.
cajole
chastise
bigot
chaos
capricious
canine
B.
He spent some time trying to __________ the store owner into giving him the tool for half
price; but when that failed, he decided to rob the store on a whim. When arrested by the police, he tried to excuse his actions by saying the store owner was a selfish __________.
C.
After breaking into the store late that night, he stole what he wanted and quickly left the store.
As he left, however, he was spotted by a police __________ patrol. While he might have been
able to outrun the police officer, he was no match for the dog which quickly brought him down.
Now, as he stood amidst the screaming and __________ in the police holding cell, he realized
the full weight of law would be used to __________ him for his __________ decision to rob
the store.
EXERCISE II — Roots, Prefixes, and Suffixes
Study the entries, and answer the questions that follow.
The root alter means “change,” “other.”
The root ego means “I.”
The root mega means “large.”
The root polis means “city,” “state.”
A. Without using a dictionary, write a definition for each of the following words.
1. megalopolis 4. metropolitan
2. alteration 5. egotist
3. alter ego 6. egocentric
B. A person who is a megalomaniac has a mental disorder characterized by delusions of
________________________________________________________ .
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C. If you alter your plans, you ______________________________________________.
D. List as many words as you can think of that begin with the root ego and the root mega.
EXERCISE III — Analogies
Complete the analogy by choosing the most appropriate words.
1.
balk : thwart ::
3.
A. stop : begin
B. block : frustrate
C. book : chapter
D. cajole : threaten
canine : dogs ::
A. species : genus
B. culinary : food
C. feline : cats
D. rats : rodent
2.
ambivalent : decisive ::
4.
A. candid : posed
B. frank : honest
C. hasty : mistake
D. regret : remorse
capricious : whimsical ::
A. black : gray
B. thin : lean
C. hot : warm
D. cool : cold
EXERCISE IV — Reading Comprehension
Read the selection and answer the questions.
One only has to go back several generations, to find a time when the household was practically the center in which were carried on, or about which were clustered, all the typical
forms of industrial occupation. The clothing worn was for the most part made in the house;
the members of the household were usually familiar also with the shearing of the sheep, the
carding and spinning of the wool, and the plying of the loom. Instead of pressing a button and
flooding the house with electric light, the whole process of getting illumination was followed
in its toilsome length from the killing of the animal and the frying of fat, to the making of
wicks and dipping of candles. The supply of flour, of lumber, of foods, of building materials,
of household furniture, even of metal ware, of nails, hinges, hammers, etc., was produced in
the immediate neighborhood, in shops which were constantly open to inspection and often
centers of the neighborhood congregation. The entire industrial process stood revealed, from
the production on the farm of the raw materials, till the finished article was actually put to
use. Not only this, but practically every member of the household had his own share in the
work. The children, as they gained in strength and capacity, were gradually initiated into the
mysteries of the several processes. It was a matter of immediate and personal concern, even
to the point of actual participation. As such, the educative forces were constantly operative.
from: The Child and the Curriculum
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by: John Dewey
1. The last sentence suggests that the education of earlier generations was
A. better than the education children get today.
B. not as good as the education children get today.
C.different from the education of today in that it was immediate and continually in
operation in daily life.
D. much cheaper and much more effective.
E. neither cost-effective nor good education.
2. The author states or implies that
A. education was less important in earlier times.
B. man lost control of his own life.
C. children today do not grow up observing many of the things their forefathers had.
D. in early times families were happier because they were closer.
E. in early times children were exploited and forced to fill adult roles.
3. The author’s main point in this selection is that
A. not everything that changes always changes for the best.
B. education is where you find it.
C. we have to look back only a few generations to see how much the world has changed.
D. in earlier times children received their education by observing and participating in the
world around them.
E. the child’s role in society has changed for the better.
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